Love Lost and Found in Space
by snowflake-eyes3216
Summary: The Republic is in a period of social unrest. There is a bill waiting to be passed through the Senate, a bill that would abolish slavery in the Republic. The spearhead for the bill is the senator from a planet that thrives because of slavery, which puts a target on him. When he returns to his planet, a Jedi Knight goes too as protection. A blast from the pasts rocks for them both.
1. Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either story world. This is just my brain child because I wanted to see what would happen if I combined them together.

* * *

 **Part 1:**

"I don't care," Senator Draconis Malfoy, the Dragon of the Senate, snapped as he stormed towards the Chancellor's office, "I am going back to Čarobnjačkom no matter what anyone says. With or without permission, I am leaving Coruscant." Attendents, both his and the Chancellor's, swarmed around him and tried to keep up with his long strides.

When he arrived at the office, Draco burst through the doors. He vaguely registered other people in the room, but his focus was on the man behind the desk. He strode forwards until he was standing in front of the man. "Chancellor Shacklebolt," he said respectfully, nodding in difference, "I request brief leave from session to attend a funeral."

Shacklebolt sighed, glancing at the other people in the room: the other senators pushing for the anti-slavery bill and a representative from the Jedi Council. "I cannot allow that, Senator Malfoy," he said regretfully, "Because you are spearheading the anti-slavery bill, it is in your best interest to not go back to Čarobnjačkom. The political unrest of the panet makes you a target."

Draco scoffed. "They wouldn't dare hurt me. I am their prince," he retorted, "With my cousin's recent death, I am the only one left that can inherit the throne. Even if they don't like me, they need me." He defiantly raised his chin as he stood before the Chancellor. He would not back down; he would be going to the funeral of his favorite cousin.

Shacklebolt watched the young senator for a moment before shaking his head in defeat. "Since you seem set on this infernal course of action, at least take protection with you," he said before turning to the Jedi master, "Master McGonagall, could I possibly request a Jedi Knight to accompany Senator Malfoy?"

The woman smirked. "Of course," she answered, as she glanced at the blond senator, "I know the perfect one. He has just returned to Coruscant from a recruiting mission."

Draco narrowed his eyes as he watched the woman. He did not trust that smirk, but since he was getting his way, he would not argue. He bowed slightly to the Chancellor. "Thank you," he said, "I am ready to leave whenever my Jedi protector is ready." With that, he left the room.

Chancellor Shacklebolt rubbed his temples as the doors closed behind the blond. "Impetuous youth," he muttered. Master McGonagall and the other senators just chuckled.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Harlan Wolfe watched as Master Flitwick led the new recruits further into the Temple to begin their training. He wondered if he was ever that small. That scared. That awed. More than likely, and grateful as well. Very grateful to be saved from his living nightmare that was his life on Čarobnjačkom.

Some of these children were like Harry, were slaves, orphans. Alone in this galaxy. Survivors. But some were the opposite. Those were children of nobility, of merchants, of warriors. In a few moments, each would renounce their old lives and start on the path to become part of something greater than their previous allegiances.

Harry turned when he heard someone call out his name. He smiled in greeting when he saw the Lupyne. "Remus," he said as his mentor came up to him. It had been three years since they had seen each other. Remus had been stationed near the outer rim to keep the peace in a power struggle between two systems and the Hutts, and Harry had been part of the Temple Guard. They hugged silently, because neither of them were loud people; they were the silent and watchful types.

When they pulled apart, Remus smiled as he fixed Harry's head scarf, making sure the marks were still covered like the younger man wanted. "You look well, Harlan," the Knight said, "How was the trip?" The unspoken question was, 'How are you holding up after the recruiting mission?' Remus knew it would dredge up old, painful memories for the raven-haired Knight.

Harry ducked his head, subtly leaning into the affectionate touch. He thought of the other Knight like a father, and he knew the man thought of him as a son. "I am alright," he muttered.

Remus nodded and clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "I'm glad," he responded, "Also, you've been summoned by McGonagall to appear before the Council." Harry blanched, but Remus was quick to reassure his former Padawan. "You're not in trouble," he said, squeezing Harry's shoulder, "It has to do with a new mission. An important one. Highly classified."

Harry blinked in shock. "Really? Me?" he questioned, "Why me? I'm just barely a Knight. There must be other, more experienced and qualified Knights to do this job."

Remus shrugged, still grinning. "She asked specifically for you, so your skills must be suited for this mission," he replied, "You're underestimating yourself again." He leaned closer to Harry. "You don't know this, but you have some of the highest scores ever achieved in the Jedi trials," he whispered, "You are a marvelous Knight, Harlan."

Harry blushed bright red. "Thank you," he murmured as he hugged the man again. He pulled back after a few moments, a cheeky grin on his no longer blushing face. "Well, best not to keep the Council waiting."

Remus chuckled, ruffling Harry's shoulder length hair. "May the force be with you, Harry," he said before heading off to the Records. Harry started walking towards the Council Chamber with a small smile of his face. Remus only rarely used his nickname, and Harry cherished every instance.

Harry made it to the Chamber in a few minutes due to his eagerness. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited to be called in. Try as he might not to be, he was nervous. This would be his first major mission, more than likely on his own. Right after he passed the Trials, Harry was immediately assigned to the Temple Guard. With what Remus just told him, it made sens that the Council would want him in that as soon as possible. And it also made sense why the head of the Guard said he could come back any time. He spent three years in the Guard. Then, Master Flitwick asked him to accompany him on a recruiting mission. They went to six different systems and found twenty children with the potential to become Jedi Knights.

Harry returned to the present when the doors opened. He took a deep breath and walked in. When he reached the center of the room, he bowed and waited with his head ducked for one of the masters to speak.

McGonagall smiled at the young Knight. She had a soft spot for Harlan. He was exceptional and his control of the force was sampling astonishing for one so young, but his past still haunted him. She hoped this mission would help him face his demons. Quite literally. "Jedi Harlan Wolfe," she began, "The Chancellor has requested a Jedi Knight to be a protector for a senator. His life is in danger because of his involvement in the anti-slavery legislation."

Harry had been listening intently and had to school his features to neutrality when Master McGonagall mentioned slavery. He had not realized there was an anti-slavery movement. McGonagall was still taking, so Harry refocused on her words.

"You will go with him to his planet for a family funeral," she said, "The planet is very pro-slavery, with centuries of cultural dependency on it. Thus, he will be very unpopular." She looked over her glasses at the young man. "Protect him and bring him back to Coruscant safely."

Harry bowed again. "As you command."

She smiled. "You are to meet him at his ship as soon as possible," she said, "May the force be with you."

Harry nodded. "Thank you, masters," he replied before heading off to the Senate. He had a ship to catch.

Once the young Knight was gone, Master Flitwick turned to McGonagall. "You did not tell Harlan he would be going back to Čarobnjačkom," he noted, "This could be very traumatic to the man."

McGonagall sighed. "It could," she conceded, "but it will help Harlan in the end. His past torments him still, after all these years. Going back as he is now should lessen their effect on him."

"We shall hope," Flitwick agreed.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Draco grumbled softly as he adjusted the dials and levers in the cockpit of his ship. He hated having someone else fly it; they always messed everything up. The Jedi better hurry up and get there, because Draco was itching to leave.

He slumped into the pilot's seat, his mind conflicted. He wanted to go back to Čarobnjačkom to pay his respects to Sirius. The man was like a father to him. No, that was the wrong analogy. Sirius was like an older brother, playing with him after Harry was gone and then taking Draco under his wing when he was older. Sirius was the only family member Draco actually liked, and now he was dead.

Draco despised having to go back to Čarobnjačkom. Stepping foot on the planet just seemed to fuel his righteous anger further. He hated the archaic social structure of the planet of which he was now the Crowned Prince. How could they justify enslaving a large part of their population? Even with the dire consequences of bearing a Nečista Stvorenje, they made up at least twenty percent of the people living on the planet. Why did they execute Krv Čista and Prljavštine Osoba for falling in love and creating a life? It was barbaric.

When he was sixteen, right before he left for Coruscant to be Čarobnjačkom's senator, Sirius told Draco about his best friend, James. James had fallen in love with a healer's assistant. A Prljavštine Osoba named Lily. They had kept their relationship a secret, and everything was great. Until it wasn't anymore. Though they had been careful, Lily was pregnant. She hid the pregnancy as long as she could, but it was discovered. The baby was tested and found to be Nečista Stvorenje. That sealed Lily's fate, and further testing sealed James'. James was executed immediately, and Lily was executed five months later after giving birth to a healthy baby boy. Sirius had tried to keep the baby, the last part of his best friend left, but he had been whisked away, already lost in the system.

Draco had already been frustrated with how things were on Čarobnjačkom, and that story increased his anger and determination. They should not be allowed to treat people as they do. That was when he made the decision that he was going to change everything. And well, he aimed high. The last six years, he had been working, pushing, and gaining support for his anti-slavery bill. He did not have the support in Čarobnjačkom for that, but there were other systems that did. If he could not change his planet, then he would change the galaxy.

The sound of a shuttle landing brought Draco out of his thoughts. It seemed his Jedi protector had arrived. He rolled his eyes as he stood up from his seat. He did not need a babysitter, no matter what the Chancellor or Master McGonagall thought. He walked down the gangway to the pad to meet them, wondering what the Knight would look like.

The Jedi stood there, robe billowing in the wind. Draco could barely see the other's face with the hood up against the cold. Light and shadows played over the Knight's features.

"So, you're my Jedi bodyguard," he drawled, "Wonderful. You know who I am?"

The Jedi frowned, reaching up to remove the hood. _Sveti pakao_ , he was attractive: pale olive skin, raven black hair held back from his face that curled slightly at the ends, emerald eyes that sparkled in the city lights. "I know you are a galactic senator," the Knight said softly, "I was told I would be escorting you to your home planet."

Draco barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. Of course, the masters would be enigmatic and only give him the barest of details. "I am Senator Malfoy," he answered, "And you are coming with me to Čarobnjačkom." The Knight's whole body tensed and his eyes widened in fear, much to Draco's surprise. Interesting reaction for a Jedi. "Let's go," he said, turning back towards his ship, "We have a tight schedule to follow." He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the Jedi was coming. After a moment of hesitation, the other man began walking. Draco turned back around and headed to the cockpit, checking everything one last time.

When the Knight entered, Draco pointed to the copilot's chair. "You can sit there," he said, "You don't have to do anything. I've already put in the destination; we're going to the Royal Palace in the capital." Draco frowned, something just occurred to him. "I don't know your name."

The Jedi Knight swallowed before answering. "My name is Harlan Wolfe."

* ~ . X . ~ *

Harry sat there, still in shock. They were going to Čarobnjačkom. In a few hours, he would be back on the planet he fled when he was seven. When the Jedi Knights found him, bought him from the Dursleys, and took him to Coruscant. And he was going with a Malfoy, one of the planet's aristocracy.

Harry was distracted from his panic by a beep on the console. It seemed that a communication was coming in. From next to him, he heard the Senator sigh heavily.

"Great. Just great," the other man murmured, before turning to Harry. "Brace yourself. It's my mother." He reached to answer the call. "Hello, Mother dear."

Harry could almost see the sarcasm drip off the words. With what Master McGonagall said and his firsthand knowledge of Čarobnjačkom, that made sense; the Senator was a Krv Čista who was pushing to abolish slavery. Of course, relations with his family would be stranded.

The woman in the projection pursed her lips, apparently not missing the sarcasm either. "Really now? Is that any way to talk to me?" she reprimanded, "Now, after the funeral, there will be a ceremony where you'll be named as the Crown Prince. It is essential that you are there, Draconis, showing your commitment to your planet, what with all these preposterous rumors about your involvement in the anti-slavery movement."

"Mother, I am leaving as we speak," the man said. More words were spoken, but they were lost to Harry. His mind had frozen when the woman said the senator's name: Draconis.

It couldn't be, could it? The senator couldn't be Draconis Malfoy, one of Čarobnjačkom's princes. He couldn't be Harry's childhood friend, Draco. The boy who gave him a name and never treated him as a slave. As a lesser being, like the Dursleys. Could it really be true that his friend grew from a prince of a slave-based civilization to the senator leading the galactic anti-slavery movement? As shocking as that revelation, Harry realized it had to be true. The senator was an older mirror of Draco: white blond hair, silver eyes, pale skin, and angular features.

Vaguely, Harry heard the other man grumbling under his breath as they left the planet's atmosphere. "I cannot believe them. Siri died not even a day ago and they've already moved onto the next thing. They could at least pretend to be sad he's gone." The blond glanced towards Harry. "I guess I should explain."

Harry nodded, watching the stars blur as they jumped to hyperspace. "If you want," he replied. He had faint memories from his time in the palace, but those were from so long ago and buried under horrific ones. It would be good to know some about the tensions within the royal family.

Draco chuckled humorlessly. The man swiveled his chair to face Harry, propping his feet up against the console. "Then get comfortable, my Jedi friend," he said, with a smirk, "because this will take a while."

Harry nodded, settling down in his seat. He wrapped himself up in his robe, feeling chilled. Space was cold, but he was pretty sure it was memories from his childhood, of running around without a shirt all year, that made him cold at the moment. Memories he had repressed were resurfacing, proving to Harry just how not ready he was to go back to Čarobnjačkom.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Draco couldn't believe his thoughts. In no way should he be thinking a Jedi Knight, a highly trained warrior, as cute, but he is. When the other man had pulled the robe around himself and snuggled down into the chair, Draco had to bite down a coo. A man who has the ability to wield the Force with deadly accuracy looked more like a young child waiting for a bedtime story. Especially with those wide, earnest green eyes.

Actually, like this, Jedi Wolfe deeply reminded him of Harry, his childhood friend. Harry was his slave, but Draco never thought of the boy as that. He was his companion. Draco had not seen Harry since they were six, and the boy was sold away.

There was no way that the Jedi Knight before him was Harry. The boy he knew was still on Čarobnjačkom. Still a slave. Before he left the planet, Draco had tried to find Harry, but nothing turned up. Trying to find a Nečista Stvorenje in their society, which does not treat them as people, is impossible. And it was beside the point. Wolfe wasn't even Nečista Stvorenje. Actually, Draco didn't know exactly what species the Jedi was. He was probably a Lupyne, what with his last name and all.

Draco cleared his throat, refocusing on the task at hand. "So, Sirius Black," he started, "Son of King Orion and Queen Wallburga. We're going back for his funeral." He swallowed down his grief. "Sirius and I did not fit in with our family. We aren't, well weren't in his case, subscripted to their beliefs. We saw the flaws of our home." Draco was a flash of some emotion cross over the Knight's face, but it was gone too quickly for him to read. He mentally shrugged and continued.

"He was no one's first choice of heir, and neither am I," Draco said, "but we were the only options. In Čarobnjačkom, only a male of the blood, Black blood, can rule. King Orion had two children, sons names Sirius and Regulus, and Orion's brother had three children, daughters named Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa. Sirius had no desires for the throne; it didn't fit with his lifestyle." Draco chuckled softly and winked at Wolfe. He leaned forward and whispered, "Siri was gay and shagging my tutor."

Wolfe looked bewildered at those words, but thankfully not disgusted. Draco had seen enough bigots in his lifetime. He was glad the Jedi wasn't one.

"Sirius deferred the thrones to his younger brother," Draco continued, "Except, Regulus was an idiot and got himself killed during an illegal space speeder race. Sirius was the only one left, unless one of his cousins had a son. Bellatrix found to be infertile when she and her husband failed to conceive." Draco chuckled. "Good thing, too, because Aunt Bella is certifiably insane. No one wants her to reproduce and pass on the crazy genes.

"Andromeda was disowned when she ran off and married a scavenger. She 'sullied' the bloodline by reproducing with a non- Krv Čista. Their daughter is a wonderful, bubbly klutz and is a Metamorphmagus, like her father," Draco said with a smile, "We have lunch whenever she's on Coruscant. She's a blast." Draco chuckled softly. "And I am Narcissa's only child. Sirius decided to stay the Crown Prince for two reasons: one, it would piss off the King and two, I could do more good as a senator. That I had the chance and motivation to change the things that he couldn't."

The console beeped, alerting Draco that they were nearing Čarobnjačkom. "Looks like we're almost there," he said to Wolfe, "Ready to meet the family?" He glanced to the side as he adjusted their trajectory.

The Knight nodded. "I am," he said, then frowned, "One thing I don't understand. Why are you so adement for abolishing slavery?" He ducted his head a little, almost like he was expecting a hit or something. Draco would file that reaction away to be analyzed later. "I mean, you grew up on a planet where slavery is deeply rooted in its culture. It seems a bit strange that you would reject that so whole-heartedly."

Draco sighed. Of course, Wolfe would be smart enough to notice he never actually said why his family hated him. "When I was a child, I had this friend," he explained, "He meant so much to me, but he was sold away. My parents got rid of him because Krv Čista and Nečista Stvorenje only supposed to be master and slave, not friends. I called him Harry, and I don't even know what became of him. No one there cares about one lowly Nečista Stvorenje, and that sickens me." Draco looked away from the other man, focusing on preparing for their landing.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Harry sat in his chair as the blond maneuvered the ship. He needed to process everything he just learned. Particularly, the part about him. It did appear that the senator was Draco, his friend before the Dursleys.

Apparently, Draco had looked for him. Tried to find him, to free him. He wondered when the blond searched. How old was Draco? Probably late teens, so Harry had already been long gone from Čarobnjačkom. It warmed his heart to know Draco cared enough about him to try to save him. Even though he'd already been saved, it was the thought that counted.

The ship dropped out of hyperspace. Čarobnjačkom loomed before them. It looked just as it did when he left fifteen years ago. He remembered watching the planet disappear behind them as the Jedis flew them away. While the planet hadn't changed, he sure had. Harry was no longer that helpless little boy. He was a skilled Jedi Knight. He was not helpless. Not anymore.

Draco was talking to someone, probably the planet's air control, requesting permission to land. The blond stated a clearance code, and the permission was granted. They started their descent. Harry steeled himself. This would not be pleasant, but he could handle it for the brief time they are there.

"So," Draco said as they approached the palace landing pad, "There are customs that I'm not sure you'll know." The man frowned for a second. "Not that I'm implying you're stupid or ignorant, Harlan, but Čarobnjačkom customs, well Krv Čista customs to be exact, are inane, obscure, and complicated. I think it would be best if you just act like my shadow and don't speak."

Harry sighed but nodded. "That sounds like a good plan," he replied, "I will go along with whatever you say. You can figure out how to explain my presence."

Draco hummed as he navigated the ship. "Well, if you weren't a Jedi, they would believe you were my lover," he said with a wink and an eyebrow wriggle, "But we'll want to keep you in uniform, to intimidate and scare anyone with intensions to hurt me. Also, you look very dashing in that." Another wink.

Was Draco … flirting with him? Harry could hardly believe it, but all signs pointed that way. He fought hard not to blush. He knew he failed when he saw the blond smirk in his direction. The ship touched down, leaving no time for Harry to respond.

The senator stood up, motioning for Harry to follow. "Let's get this over with," he said as the hatch began to open, "Just be my handsome shadow."

Harry chuckled softly, standing at the blond's shoulder. "Of course," he answered, "Whatever you say."

When the hatch fully opened, there was a man waiting for them. He was a looming figure, with a large hooked nose. Lavender eyes stared blankly out of a haunted face. The man's black hair hung limply to his shoulders, greasy like it hadn't been washed in a long time. Something about him tickled Harry's memory, but he couldn't quite place why. And now was not the time.

A choked off noise caught his attention, and Harry turned to look at Draco. This was the first time he had seen a genuine expression on the blond's face. Sadness was etched across every feature as Draco walked towards the man on the platform.

"Sev," Draco croaked, grief coloring the word, "I'm so sorry." The blond wrapped the man up in a bone-crushing hug. The older man returned it just as fiercely.

Oh, this man was Draco's tutor, and his cousin's lover. Harry vaguely remembered a man with black hair and a large nose looming around them. He does not get the impression of being scared from the memory. He does get the same warm and fuzzy feeling he gets whenever he is near Remus. A feeling of being loved and protected. He wondered if the man would recognize him, but he reasoned that if Draco did not then the other would not either.

Harry stood a respectful distance away from the pair. He did not want to intrude on their moment of grief. He stood at rest, watching the palace for anyone's approach. He cleared his throat a few minutes later, alerting the pair to their surroundings again. A group of people had appeared out from under the arches of the palace and were making their way down to where they three of them stood. One of the men had the same platinum blond hair as Draco, so Harry guessed it was the man's father.

Draco straightened, his grief reigned in behind a mask of indifference. The blond walked back over to Harry to stand shoulder to shoulder as they waited for the group to reach them.

"Showtime," Draco murmured out of the corner of his mouth. The group stopped several feet in front of them. The two blonds stared at each other in silence. The tension built as a battle of wills war between them. It was a matter of who would yield and start the official greeting first. Harry was very interested to see the outcome.

In Čarobnjačkom customs, the esteemed person is greeted first by the lesser esteemed in the interaction. Esteem was dictated by age and title. Normally, those two things coincide. In this situation, they do not. Before, Lord Malfoy, Draco's father, would have been the obvious choice. But since Sirius' death, Draco holds the higher title. "Crown Prince" trumps "Lord". Both men were proud and suborn, so who knew how long it would be before either yielded.

Finally, after some very comfortable moments, the older blond submitted to the ritual. Lord Malfoy bowed his head and crossed his left arm in front of his chest, hand fisted. "Pozdrav, cijenjen jedan," the man grounded out as if the words caused him physical pain to say.

Draco looked like he was fighting a smirk as he mimicked his father's stance. "I pozdrav za vas, Lord Malfoy," he replied, amusement clear in his voice.

Lord Malfoy sneered as the pair straightened up. It obviously irked the man that his son now outranked him. The man glanced at Severus for a moment before landing on Harry. His eyes narrowed in consideration. Harry mentally cursed; he needed to do something to distract Lord Malfoy before the man recognized him.

Harry bowed his head and crossed his arm. "Pozdrav, cijenjen jaden," he said to the man. Hopefully the shock of a random Jedi knowing Krv Čista customs would disrupt the man's contemplations.

After a moment, he glanced up and saw the older man mirroring him. "I pozdrav za vas," he said, "Jedi …" He trailed off, glancing up at Harry in question.

Draco answered before he could. "Wolfe," he said, "This is my friend. He asked to accompany me when I told him I was leaving, because he didn't want me to have to travel alone." The blond wrapped his arm around his shoulders. "Isn't that just the sweetest?"

Harry barely held in a sigh. Apparently, Draco had decided to just go with the 'lovers' reason after all. Thankfully, the blond just implied verses explicitly stating the fact, else Harry would have a hard time explaining this to the Counsel in his report later.

Lord Malfoy briefly wrinkled his nose in distaste before dismissing the news. "Come," the man commanded as he turned his back to them, "The funeral will begin shortly."

Harry did sigh this time as he fell into step behind the group. These next two days were going to be very erratic and stressful. He already felt exhausted.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Draco hated ceremonies. They were long, tedious, and mind-numbingly boring. At least, he hate Krv Čista ceremonies. During the funeral, it was torture to sit and listen to people who hated Sirius talk about how wonderful the man was and how he would be missed. The only reason Draco did not murder someone was the Jedi Knight next to him.

Thinking about Harlan Wolfe occupied his through the insincere eulogy and the dull crowning ceremony. The Knight had known the greeting ritual. Why would he know that? How would he know that? Krv Čista rituals would be too obscure to be taught as part of a Jedi's training. The fact that Harlan did not stumble over the words added another layer to the intrigue. Maybe the Knight spent time on Čarobnjačkom, enough to learn the customs.

Draco changed out of his ceremonial clothes and put away his crown. There was no way in pakao he would willingly wear that ostentatious thing on a daily basis. In the senate, no one cared that he was royalty, and Draco loved that. He was just another senator, and he had managed to make a name for himself: the Dragon of the Senate. It had a nice ring to it, and it was completely accurate. Draco was ferocious, hot-tempered, stubborn, and focused to the point of obsession, just like a dragon. He remembered when his friend, Senator Blaise Zabini of Essos, took him to his home planet to see the magnificent creatures.

Draco shook his head to clear away the thoughts. Recently, he seemed to get lost in memories far more frequently than normal. It was probably caused by coming back to Čarobnjačkom.

Draco left his chambers to find Severus. He wanted to discuss their plans for the older man to come back with him to Coruscant. Harlan detached himself from the shadows and fell into step with Draco. Žurica, the Knight was freakishly good at blending into the background. The only reason he did not jump was the Malfoy breeding ingrained in his mind. The Knight's presence also was not helping Draco keep his mind in the present because the man looked how he imagined Harry would look at their age. But Harry might not have even lived this long. Nečista Stvorenje did not tend to live to be very old. Krv Čistas claim that it has to do with the mixing of Krv Čista and Prljavštine Osoba genes, but Draco figured the real reason was their treatment. Another reason to abolish slavery.

They continued down the hallway and out of the Palace into the garden. Draco figured Severus would be there, because he loved the garden. Both of them did. Draco had so many memories of spending time there with Sirius and Severus. Sometimes, when he could not focus, they would have their lessons out there. Severus was in pain, so he would retreat to where he felt closest to Sirius.

Draco found the man where he expected: on the bench under the Weeping Willow. Sirius had planted the tree for Severus when they got together; the tree was nearing on thirty years old. Draco glanced at the Knight before parting the canopy to join Severus. Wolfe turned his back to them and the tree, giving them the illusion of privacy and keeping watch. Draco hesitantly approached the older man and sat down.

Silence reigned for several minutes before Draco decided to break it. "You will come back with me, won't you?" he asked softly, "You won't be appreciated here, now. I hate to say this, but they only put up with you because you had Sirius' protection by being the Crown Prince's consort. Not now. There would be so many opportunities for you to expand on your research in the capital." He turned his head to look at the older man. "And I've missed you, Severus."

Severus sighed, shifting his hands on his lap. Clenched in one fist was a pendant Sirius gave him on their tenth anniversary. "You're right," the man conceded, "I would have access to many more resources. And I'd …"

He was cut off by the sound of a lightsaber igniting. They looked up to see, through the branches, the Knight swing his deep indigo saber. A moment later, Harlan stepped into the enclosure made by the branches.

"We need to go," he said, a fierce stubborn glint in his emerald eyes, "I just destroyed an assassin droid. There could be more. I need to get you back to Coruscant, where you'll be safe."

Draco shared a look with Severus. That droid could have been coming for either of them, though it was most likely after Draco. "Of course," he replied, standing up, "My ship is still in the landing pad I'll lead the way."

Severus stood up as well, glancing between the two men. "There's a secret passage," he said as he layed his hand on a large knot in the bark of the tree. Behind the trunk, a section of wall slid away to reveal a set of stairs leading down. "Sirius found these passageways when he was a child. They've been forgotten, but they were built as siege tunnels when the Palace was rebuilt during Čarobnjačkom's last large-scale war."

Draco blinked in shock. "That was centuries ago," he murmured.

"Exactly why no one remembers they exist," Severus answered.

The Knight stepped forward to peer into the dark, his lightsaber out to the side. "If they are that old, how do we knew they are safe?" he questioned with a glance to Severus, "How will we know where we are in these?"

Severus rolled his eyes in annoyance. Draco recognized that expression from his childhood when he was being particularly obstinate or argumentative. Harlan was about to get a tongue lashing, and no one gave better ones than Severus.

"Do you really think I would lead us somewhere I could not navigate? Insolent brat," the older man snapped. For the moment, Draco though he saw a sheepish look on the Knight's face, but it was gone too quickly for him to be sure. Severus continued, "I can get us to the other wall, very close to the landing pad."

The Knight nodded. "Alright, lead on," he conceded, "I'll guard our backs." He turned to look at Draco. "Senator, stay between us so we can protect you better."

Draco barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "I can take care of myself," he retorted, glaring as Severus snorted. He crosses his arms over his chest, pouting as they walked. "I do not need a babysitter," he groaned.

Harlan chuckled right behind Draco, breath ghosting over his neck. However, when Draco looked back, the raven-haired Jedi was a couple steps behind him, turned around to watch the way they came. The deep color of the lightsaber added to the shadows instead of dispelling them. Draco had never seen a blade that dark a color; he wondered why. Maybe he would ask Severus later. When they were back on Coruscant. Safe from his own people.

Severus stopped in front of hat appeared to be a completely random stretch of wall. With a smirk thrown over his shoulder at them, the older man pushed on a stone, and a section of wall slid aside.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Still one for dramatic flares," he muttered, as he and Harlan glanced through the doorway. Light was shining at the end of the revealed hallway.

Harlan stepped around Draco and headed towards the light. "I'll check to make see if the coast is clear," the Knight stated, "and give us some cover. You two head quickly for the ship." Draco nodded.

Severus walked passed and gave Draco's shoulder a squeeze. Draco followed, the wall sliding back into place behind them. Harlan was already outside when Draco and Severus reached the end of the hall. They paused to listen before leaving the passage.

When no blaster fire was heard, Draco stuck his head out. He saw the Knight standing alone by Draco's ship. The Knight nodded and waved them forward. Draco led the way, Severus just behind him.

They made it about half the way to the ship when shouts sounded across the way. Draco looked over and saw several people running down the ground staircase to the landing pads. People with blasters. Draco could feel himself start to panic. In front of him was physical proof that his own people wanted him dead. He could no longer deny the Chancellor's words, and that terrified him.

Draco was pulled from his panic by the sound of a lightsaber engaging. He looked over to see Harlan next to him, wielding his indigo lightsaber. The Knight must have come back to them while Draco was frozen with panic.

With the hand not holding the saber, Harlan grabbed Draco's shoulder and shoved him towards the ship. "Get to the ship," the Knight said, glancing between the two, "Senator, get it up and running, ready for takeoff." Emerald eyes bored into Draco's silver ones. "Set course for Coruscant. I'll hold them off."

Draco started to protest, because there was no way he would leave the Knight behind. Not with so many unanswered questions between them. Harlan cut him off with a look and a smirk.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," the Knight said, "Just leave the landing hatch open for me. When you're ready to blast away from this planet, I'll hop aboard." With a wink, the Knight turned around, raising his saber in time to deflect a blaster shot.

Draco felt a hand pull on his arm. He startled, looking to Severus. He had practically forgotten the older man was there. Together, they ran to the ship. As Draco was about to step onto the ship, he spared a glance back towards the fight. He saw Harlan holding the men off, moving as if part of a deadly dance. The Knight fought so fluidly, so naturally. It was magnificent to behold. And so hot, too.

Draco shook his head to clear those thoughts away. Now was not the time to fantasize about his Jedi Knight of a bodyguard. Prep the ship, get off this nightmare of a planet, then fantasize. Priorities.

Draco clapped Severus on the shoulder as he passed the man. "Set the coordinates for Coruscant into the hyperdrive, would you?" he called as he made his way to the cockpit.

Once there, Draco started flipping switches, priming the fuel cells. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Severus in the copilot's chair, typing away. Draco pointedly ignored the blinking warning which indicated the landing hatch was still open. He would not be the one to deal with it; Harlan would once the Knight was on board.

Soon, his ship was ready to go. Draco held it at a low hover above the landing pad. A few moments later, the warning light shut off. Draco smiled, angling the ship up and away from Čarobnjačkom at last.

However, Draco's smile soon melted to a frown. Harlan should have come into the cockpit by now; the ship was not that large. He had a bad feeling in his gut. He turned to Severus.

"Go find our wayward Knight please?" he asked.

Severus sighed and rolled his eyes, but stood up nonetheless. The Draco was alone, staring out into space. A deep darkness, pinpricked by intense dots of light. Of life, fighting against the oppression of nothingness.

The intercom buzzed, breaking Draco's musings. He answered, "Yes, Severus?"

Silence reigned for a second, then Severus replied, "Change course to the nearest planet that supports your bill."

Draco frowned. "Why?"

"Because I found the Knight unconscious with a blaster wound to his side," Severus replied, tone reminiscent of times in the past when he thought Draco to be extremely idiotic, "He needs professional medical attention, preferably on a planet that does not want you dead."

Draco cursed, getting up from his chair and moving to Severus' chair.

Draco was in the process of changing their destination to Felidae, the home planet of his good friend and collaborator on the bill, Senator Granger, when the intercom buzzed again. Draco absently answered it.

"By the way, there is something else I think you should know," Severus drawled, "It seems our resident Jedi Knight is Nečista Stvorenje."

* * *

 **Translations:** (from Croatian)

Čarobnjačkom - Wizarding

Nečista Stvorenje \- impure creature

Krv Čista \- blood of pure

Prljavštine Osoba \- dirt people

Sveti pakao \- holy hell

Pozdrav, cijenjen jedan \- Hello, esteemed one

I pozdrav za vas \- And greetings to you

pakao \- hell

Žurica \- Merlin

* * *

 **Links to explanations/background information: (remove the spaces)**

Čarobnjačkom **-** docs. google . document/d/1dEzSi9AVeJE_uKOHGM4Vtz3q-tmt3VbvpnShaYQQtkg/pub

Lupyne \- docs. google . document/d/1LY3GHjovbRZHJJF8NFwCDLUDrR4dwgpb1oQrBEm1Rlg/pub

Nečista Stvorenje \- docs. google . document/d/1yyY3siHSAYc40GKMbrx7xQjdJDTdaOqsoTBMip4ISmk/pub

Krv Čista \- docs. google . document/d/1nGK-ljXLaPG7TOBECTQiwJFnrdTz0LOZ-trdLKI2x8A/pub

Prljavštine Osoba \- docs. google . document/d/1nkORSlWKvjDfJRsjV0dWSCxKkv7p2-5R62O5y0o9Uj8/pub

Felidae \- docs. google . document/d/1lS7scdd_2zGAzZAjl-105GSWqTCuCHfTVxaBlUMObbs/pub


	2. Part 2

... oops ... I'd thought I posted this ... my bad ...

* * *

Part 2:

Draco breathed deeply, concentrating on steering even though it was not necessary. The ship was on autopilot after all. But … he needed to do something. Anything. To keep his mind busy. To keep it away from thoughts of the man lying unconscious in the makeshift bed in the ships small cargo area.

Harry. _Harry._ His Harry. The little boy he played with. Now, that little boy he knew was a Jedi Knight. A _Jedi Knight_. It was hard to wrap his head around. That the sweet, demour child became the stunning Jedi Knight he met on the flight over to Čarobnjačkom. _Sveti pakao_ , his head hurt.

Everything made sense now. The reaction to Čarobnjačkom: of course, since Harry escaped there, he would not want to go back ever again. The similarity in their looks and mannerisms: obviously, because they were the same person. The knowledge of Krv Čista customs: Harry had firsthand experience, observing it play out many times. It all made sense. Except one thing. Why didn't Harry, or Harlan, tell him? Why not say he was Draco's childhood friend?

"Because he was scared," a voice said behind him, causing Draco to jump dramatically. He turned and glared at Severus, who just smirked as he sat in the copilot's chair.

"You're a menace," he griped as he turned back to the stars out the front window, "And what did you mean by that? What you said …"

He could hear Severus sigh. "That Jedi Knight, Harlan Wolfe, is one of the most powerful Jedis to pass the Trials in centuries," he said.

At Draco's surprised eyebrow, Severus shrugged awkwardly, looking away. If Draco did not know better, he would have sworn Severus was blushing.

"I have a friend in the Temple," Severus said. Draco was surprised, and very curious. Severus never mentioned having a Jedi as friend, never in all the time the man had been his tutor and proxy father figure. Draco knew the man went to university on Coruscant, so he guessed anything was possible. "Once Harlan was as stable as I could make him, I sent a message to Re – my friend, asking about the Knight. Since most information about Jedis is classified to outsiders, he told me what he could."

Draco nodded. "That makes sense," he said, "Very few outsiders are trusted with Temple knowledge. My friend, Hermione, is the only person I know that had been allowed unlimited access to the Jedi Archives." Draco cleared his throat. "But that is beside the point." He motioned at the older man. "Continue."

Severus arched an eyebrow at Draco, sitting back in his chair. "What I was saying before that little tangent," he started, "Harlan Wolfe may be this powerful Jedi Knight on the outside, but he is probably still that timid little boy that we knew on the inside. Maybe." The man shrugged. "We don't actually know what happened to him in the intervening years. We know your father sold him when you both were six. We don't know to which family you father sold him. There are many horrible, horrible people, much worse than the royal family."

The older man shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Draco knew how much the bigotry of this planet bothered Severus, almost as much as it upset Draco. That was why Severus ran away to Coruscant for college, not planning on ever coming back. The man only did because Sirius asked him. Severus did not know Sirius told Draco that, and he had no plans of ever telling the older man that he knew.

Draco nodded, bringing his mind back to the current conversation. "Time changes everything," he replied, "Especially people."

Severus rolled his eyes at him. "My _point_ ," the man said, stressing the word, "is that while the Knight might look like our Harry, he is not still our Harry. The child we knew is buried under layers of trauma, experience, training, and masks. All carefully crafted to protect himself." The man turned his chair to the side to face Draco. "Now, imagine. You've created this armor around yourself that shields you from threats and hides your vulnerabilities from others. And then, a blast from your past re-enters your life. Shakes everything up. Rattles that armor you built. Would you open up or hunker down to weather the storm? I think Harlan chose the latter."

Severus then stood up. "Speaking of the Knight, I should go check on his condition."

Draco nodded, thinking over everything his former tutor said. One thing stuck out to him. Just as the man was stepping out of the cockpit, he called out, "Hey Severus?"

The man looked back at Draco. "Yes?"

"What did you mean by 'hiding vulnerabilities'?" Draco asked, "What were you referring to?"

Severus gave Draco a familiar look that said the man was questioning Draco's intelligence. "The headscarf," Severus answered, "It was covering the Prljavštine Osoba markings." With that said, the man left for the cargo hold, leaving Draco alone with his thoughts and the stars.

…

A while later, the console beeped, indicating a communication. Severus was still with the Knight, _Harry_ , so Draco was alone in the cockpit. He accepted the call, and a projection of his friend appeared. She did not look happy. Her ears were flat against her head towards the back, and what he could see of her tail was fluffed up and twitching quickly side to side.

"Why did you request emergency medical landing permission on Felidae?" she demanded immediately, "And why didn't you tell me?!" That last part was a shout.

Draco cringed. "Hello, Granger," he said, "I'm sorry I didn't contact you. I've been a little scattered at the moment."

She frowned, her ears twitching forward. "Are you alright? The medical aid is not for you, right? You should be perfectly safe on Coruscant."

Draco ducked his head sheepishly, not having told his close friend that he was going to his home planet.

Granger noticed her friend's reaction, and narrowed her eyes. "Unless you weren't on Coruscant…" Her cat eyes widened as she connected the dots. "Tell me you didn't!" She practically screeched.

Draco nodded his head, unable to meet her eyes.

"Why, Draco? WHY?! You know you're causing so much political and social strife there because of the bill. You're lucky you're not dead. Without you, the bill dies, and slavery will remain legal in the Republic."

"I know, Hermione, I know. I'm sorry," Draco answered. He only ever used his friend's first name in serious and emotional situations; this one was both of those. "But I couldn't not go. This was for Sirius, the only member of my family I actually liked." Draco looked up to meet the Felidaen's eyes.

She sighed, understanding. "Just … tell me you weren't stupid about it. That you didn't sneak off Coruscant without anyone knowing."

Draco shook his head. "The Chancellor knew," he answered, "And he asked the Jedi Council o assign me a bodyguard."

The woman nodded. "That's good," she said, looking slightly less upset, "But what happened then? You should have been completely fine."

Draco watched his friend worry her lip between her teeth, the sharp points threatening to break the skin. "We were fine, but … it all went bad." He ran his hand through his hair, messing up the perfect arrangement the royal stylist forced it into for the coronation. He sighed. "The worst thing," he admitted, "is that I don't even know what happened. He told me to get the ship ready to fly, and I was doing that. I was so focused on that nothing else registered. I vaguely remember seeing the notification that the bay door was closed, meaning he got on board, and then … nothing. He just … didn't come up to the cockpit like I expected. And then Severus found him unconscious in the cargo bay.

Granger made a noise of sympathy and concern. "That's horrible," she said, "But everything will be fine. Felidae has highly advanced medical practices."

Draco nodded, checking the controls. "I know," he said, "We'll be there shortly. Severus is with him."

The Felidaen tilted her head to the side, her ears moving as she thought. "'Him'? Your Jedi protector is a guy?" she asked, "What's his name? I know a lot of Knights. If you remember, I studied –"

" – in the Archives of the Temple," Draco recited with a small smile. He had heard her say it enough to be able to repeat it from memory. "His name is Harlan Wolfe."

Draco watched the color drain from his friend's face, which looked very odd over hologram. He frowned and leaned forward, concerned.

"Dear Ovinnik," Granger murmured, "I have to call Remus. Got to go, I'll see you when you arrive. Bye!" And then she hung up.

Draco sat back, shocked. That was … odd. Really, really odd. He shook his head to clear away the whole occurrence and focused back on the controls. He did need to land the ship at some point, after all.

* ~ . X . ~ *

After hanging up on Draco, Hermione freaked out. Harlan was hurt. Harlan was unconscious on Draco's ship. Harlan, who was supposed to be on a recruiting mission, had been Draco's bodyguard to Čarobnjačkom. Oh Ovinnik, what should she do?

Right, she needed to contact Remus. He needed to know, and would want to be here with Harlan. Hermione really hoped the Knight was on Coruscant. She placed a call to the Jedi Temple and waited for an answer.

It was a few moments before her call connected. It was one of the Knights that manned the Temple's communication hub. She was not familiar with him, but she could tell he recognized her by how his demeanor changed a second after he appeared in her hologram. "Hello," the Knight said, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes," Hermione answered, "I need to get in touch with Knight Remus Noir."

The Knight nodded. "He's on planet," he said, "I'll transfer you to his rooms."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you," she replied. The hologram of the Knight disappeared, leaving emptiness with the occasional blip of static. After a minute, the call connected to an empty room. Well, not actually empty. She could hear someone moving around and grumbling that sounded like "Twice. Twice now." Then, Remus appeared on the hologram. A very sleepy looking, rumpled Remus. Hermione arched an eyebrow; she had never seen the Knight look that disheveled. He blinked slowly a few times at her, then jumped, flailing around a bit. She could not hold in her laughter.

"Senator Granger," the Knight said, trying to smooth down his hair.

She smiled at the man. "Did I wake you, Remus?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Why yes, Hermione. It is, after all, the middle of the night." He scrunched up his nose. "Though, you are not the first to do so tonight."

"Oops," Hermione said, blushing. It had not occurred to her to think of the time on Coruscant when she called. She filed away the rest of what Remus had said for later. Someone else had interrupted his sleep? Who? She was so curious, but now was not the time. "I'm sorry, but this couldn't wait until morning."

Remus' chuckle died in his throat at those words, and he immediately sobered. "What happened?"

"It's Harlan," Hermione answered, tears threatening to fall. She clenched her fists to try and gain control, but she was struggling. Her claws kept extending and retracting, their sharp points pricking her palms. "He's hurt. I don't know how exactly, just that he's unconscious."

"Where is he?" Remus demanded, a faint growl coloring his words. Lupyne were very protective of their young, and Remus thought of his former Padawan as his young.

"He's on route to Felidae," Hermione answered. She wiped at her eyes, careful of her claws that were still extended. "They're coming from Čarobnjačkom."

Remus cursed in his native language. "Holy Asena, why would the Council send him there?" he muttered, seeming to dig around from something out of sight. The Knight made a noise of discovery, apparently finding whatever he had been looking for.

Hermione blushed and covered her eyes when she realized Remus was getting dressed. He must have forgotten they were still connected. "Remus!" she squeaked, "I'm still here!"

She heard more cursing, then a muffled apology. After waiting a few moments, she removed her hand to see Remus, _fully clothed_ , sitting to put on his shoes. The Knight blushed as he made eye contact with Hermione.

"In my defense," he stated, "I'm still not fully awake, and I'm panicking. Sorry, but social decencies are not a high priority right now." The Knight stood up, cloak and lightsaber in hand. "I'm now my way."

Hermione barely had time to nod in answer before Remus cut the connection. Since that was now taken care of, she had nothing to distract from her own panic and anxiety. Maybe her guard would be interested in a spare. She had the strong urge to claw something.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Draco grumbled as he was slowly led to the landing pad by Felidae's air control. Very, very slowly. Don't they remember this was a medical emergency landing? He really wished his ship had a horn, like his speeder. He would definitely be laying on it if he had one. Why was this taking so long?

Draco was distracted from his murderous annoyance by Severus reentering the cockpit. He immediately turned to look at the older man. Draco tried to get a read on him, but Severus, at that moment, was impossible to read. It appeared he would have to get information the traditional way. By asking. Ick. But, needs must and all that.

"How is he?" Draco asked.

Severus sighed. "I'm not going to lie," he answered, "It is bad. I did what I could to stabilize him. He needs more help than I can give with a basic med-kit."

"Then it's a good thing we're about to land," Draco murmured. He continued to slowly maneuvered the ship behind the air control ships. "What exactly are his injuries?"

Severus sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "There is a blaster burn up the entire left side of his torso," the man began explaining, "It probably happened during a spin. Jedis favor those in their fighting styles, since it gives their sabers more momentum and maneuverability. However, it also creates more vulnerability when facing advisories from multiple directions." Severus shook his head. "I kept saying it was a stupid move." Severus caught himself, getting back on topic. "The burn is deep. I'm very surprised Wolfe managed to get in the ship before collapsing."

Draco grimaced. "How can you be sure of that? What if he was hit after he boarded, before the hatch closed?" In the back of his mind, he noted that this was the second time Severus eluded to having close contact with a Jedi. He wondered about that, then put it out of his mind. Now was not the time.

Severus shook his head, lank hair flipping about his face. "No, I'm sure," he replied, "Regardless of how large and deep the burn is, it was an indirect hit. Since the blast only grazed Wolfe, there would be damage in the bay where the blast hit. There wasn't any."

Draco nodded, becoming more impressed with the Knight Harry grew to be. He frowned after a moment. "Sev, why did you call him 'Wolfe'?" Draco asked, "It's Harry."

Severus sighed in exasperation, mumbling something that sounding suspiciously like 'fixatedly idiotic brat'. The man cleared his throat and levered a very unimpressed look at Draco. "Were you actually listening during our talk earlier?" he asked, shaking his head. "Yes, it may be Harry, but not _our_ Harry. He had grown and changed since we last saw him fifteen years ago. Calling him Harry and not Harlan, as he introduced himself, shows that we only see the child from the past. That disregards the man of the present. That says everything he did to become Jedi Knight Harlan Wolfe is meaningless. I call him Wolfe because he is not the child I knew. He is a powerful warrior to be respected."

Draco shifted uncomfortably, glancing back out the front window. He hated being scolded, and Severus always had a way of making him feel especially stupid and ashamed. "Right," he said, greatly wanting to change the subject, "Are there any other injuries?"

Severus nodded. "Yes, a cracked skull, a broken wrist, and possibly a few fractured ribs," the man answered, "I can't be sure about those because I don't have the right equipment to properly check."

Draco winced. "How did he get those injuries?" he asked, a little confused.

"When he collapsed," Severus answered, "There was a spear of blood on the corner of the control panel. I think that is where he cracked his skull. The rest of the injuries are consistent with how I found him lying on the floor."

Draco chewed on his lip, feeling extremely guilty. The Knight would not have gotten hurt if he had not stubbornly demanded to go to Čarobnjačkom. They were nearing the landing pad, so Draco pushed down those feelings to focus on landing the ship. The faster he landed, the faster Harry, no _Wolfe_ , would get the medical attention he needed. But Draco refused to sacrifice precision for speed. Felidae was notorious for its awkward landing pads; many ships had crashed trying to land on the planet because the pilots were not paying proper attention.

Draco had headed to the planet's capital, Cadmus, located in the rainforest. There were only five large cities on Felidae: Cadmus in the rainforest, Tikino in the savanna, Mueget in the swampy marshland, Domia in the wooded hills, and Jazip in the snowy mountains. Cadmus is the largest of them. Of the populous of the planet, what did not live in the cities was spread out in small communities in between.

Air control was taking them to the landing pad closest to the hospital. Each city has its own medical facilities, but Cadmus had the largest, being the capital and all. The planet's university is right next to it, which is very convenient for their medical students. Ever the knowledge seeker, Hermione spent most of her time there when she was not needed in government.

Regarding that, Felidae was odd, at least in Draco's opinion. Their senator actually has a role in how the plant runs. A small role, but a role nonetheless. He, the senator of Čarobnjačkom, had no power in his planet's government. His planet was ruled by an absolute monarchy. Even as the Crown Prince, Draco had no power. That would change when his Grandfather, King Orion, died, may his soul burn in the fires of pakao, and he became king. Unfortunately, King Orion seemed almost immortal, refusing to die. But Draco smirked to himself. While he had no power on Čarobnjačkom, he had power on the Galactic level. Lots of power. Power enough to disrupt Čarobnjačkom's entire way of life. They definitely regretted making him senator.

The air control ships ducked below the canopy, Draco following close behind. Vines tries to tangle and ensnare the ships. Only the spires of the few tallest buildings were seen from the air, but once under the treetops, the city spread out in all its glory. Seemingly endless miles of buildings blended perfectly with the natural beauty of the rainforest. The other cities were similar, flowing seamlessly with their environments. While Čarobnjačkom's architecture was generally aesthetically pleasing, Draco loved this style much better. He thought it to be magnificent, completely embodying primal elegance.

The ships in front of him disappeared while Draco marveled at Cadmus, having slipped into the cave landing bay. He followed their lead and carefully brought his ship in. Cave was a generous title. The landing pad was nestled under an overcropping. Buildings were built up and on the ledge of bedrock. The hospital was right near the opening.

Draco glanced to the side at Severus. "Everything ready?" he asked, "Is he secured?"

Severus turned to face Draco. Again, with the 'You're so stupid' look.

Draco shrugged in embarrassment, looking back out the window. "Just checking," he murmured, "Landing in 3 … 2 … 1 …"

Draco brought the ship down gently. The ship jostled only slightly as the landing gear made contact with the pad. He turned to look at Severus, grinning smugly. "Perfect," he declared.

The older man rolled his eyes at Draco and then stood up. "Let's go greet the welcoming committee, shall we?" he asked in a bored tone.

Draco groaned, wanting to bash his head against the controls. "I hate bureaucrats," he grumbled as he did a final check of the ship's systems. Severus just laughed at the irony of Draco's words.

The pair walked to the bay door. Draco glanced to the side, to where the Knight was laid out. Severus had cleaned the blood away, his Prljavštine Osoba markings a harsh black against the pale skin and bruises. Draco turned back to the door, waiting for it complete the unlock sequence and open. It was hard for Draco to reconcile his childhood friend with the powerful Jedi Knight he met with the bruised and battered man lying on a blanket spread over supply crates.

There was a hiss of pressure being released, and the bay door slowly began to lower. Draco stood at attention, hands resting against the small of his back with thumbs interlocked and fingers extended. He wished he was a bit more formally dressed. Not to the extent of his Prince garb, but at least his Senator attire. Felidae was big on ceremony; he hoped they would excuse his informality based on the circumstances. Next to him, Severus mimicked the stance.

The hatched touched down on the pad with a muffled thud, and Draco got a first look at his welcoming party. A group of bureaucrats. Goodie. Granger and her bodyguard. Better. A medical team with a hover stretcher. Thank Žurica. If they hadn't been there waiting, Draco would have pulled his blaster, which he had grabbed from his pilot chair and strapped to his thigh, and started shooting bureaucrats. Pakao, he still might start shooting them, if they annoyed him too much.

Draco cleared his throat and looked to the man that appeared to be the highest ranking of the bureaucrats. He would kill that man first, he decided, when he began his murderous rampage. "Senator Draconis Malfoy, Crown Prince of Čarobnjačkom," he stated clearly, schooling away his grimace at the second title, "Requesting emergency medical assistance for Jedi Knight Harlan Wolfe." He then watched the play of emotions on the faces of the gathered Felidaens.

Granger looked panicked and worried. She kept fiddling with the tear-drop emerald hanging from her waist chain. Her bodyguard, a ginger tabby Felidaen, stared stoically ahead, eyes zeroed in on the blaster in Draco's holster. The bureaucrats' reactions were most amusing. When Draco had announced himself, the head had looked faintly smug, like he couldn't wait to make things difficult, and the rest wore similar looks. However, that changed when Draco stated Wolfe's title. The group began to titter uneasily as the head paled. They knew they would face the wrath of the Jedi Council if they delayed in administering aid to one of their Knights. Draco bit back a smirk.

Draco focused in on the head as the man stepped forward. "Granted," he said, somehow managing to make that single word so condescending. Draco barely contained the urge to roll his eyes. The man waved the medical team forward. Draco almost sagged in relief as the team head up towards them.

Draco saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked back at the people gathered on the pad. Granger had stepped forward. Well, given how her skirt still flowed around her legs, it seemed more likely that she tried to rush forward, and her bodyguard's hand on her shoulder was the only thing that stopped her. The ginger leaned down to murmur something to her. Granger did not look happy, what with how her tail was flicking quickly and with her ears flat to her head. But she stayed put. Draco narrowed his eyes at their strange behaviors. He was distracted from those thoughts by the medical team reaching the ship.

Draco stepped aside and motioned towards the Knight. He watched as they carefully maneuvered Wolfe off the crates and onto the hover stretcher. As the passed on the way off the ship, one stopped in front of Draco. The woman offered him Harlan's cloak and lightsaber, which he tentatively took. He stared down at them, no sure what to do.

Draco watched the procession walk down the hatch for a moment, then he looked at Severus. He held out the items to the older man. "Could you …?" he asked, tilting his head towards the team.

Severus nodded, taking the cloak and lightsaber. The man then head down after the hover stretcher. Draco followed a moment later, intending to go to the hospital with them.

Those plans went up in smoke when the head bureaucrat stepping into Draco's path. He only just stopped himself from groaning. Maybe Granger would come with him. To keep him company. And to stop him from killing the bureaucrats.

"Granger," Draco said, turning to face his friend, "Would you – " He cut off when he saw her walking towards the medical team. That was odd. "Granger?" he called after her.

She vaguely waved at him, shouting over her shoulder, "I'll talk to you later. Promise!" And then, she was gone, following after the team and Severus.

And there Draco was, left on the pad. Alone. A throat cleared. Oh right. He was alone, with a group of bureaucrats. Perfect.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Hermione paced the room anxiously, gripping hard to the teardrop emerald of her necklace. Waiting was … Horrible. Excruciating. Infuriating. She _hated_ it. _Waiting._ She hissed in frustration.

She spun in a circle, looking around the waiting room. Ronald was leaning against the ugly yellow wall, arms crossed over his heavily muscled chest. Still healing scratches were visible across the man's exposed arms and shoulders. Remnants of their earlier spar. She knew she should feel sorry, but she did not. It was the man's job to keep her safe and sane. That sometimes included let her claw him when she needed to her frustrations. Or anger. This time, it was both. Better him than Draco. Or the Jedi Council. Or Harlan, when he was better.

The only other person in the waiting room was a man. An unknown. Well, obviously, Draco knew the man, since he had come off the blond's ship behind the medical team. He had walked with them to the hospital and up to the waiting room. He then sat in that chair, and had not moved. At all. The man just sat there, silently, holding a Jedi cloak and lightsaber. She assumed those were Harlan's. Who was the man? And why was he there?

Hermione's musings were interrupted by a Healer entering the waiting room. He glanced around at them all before speaking, "We contacted Knight Wolfe's listed next of kin, Knight Noir. He is in transit to Felidae, but we cannot divulge medical information over hologram. He did give us permission to tell you, Senator Granger – " The Healer motioned to Hermione " – and whomever initially administered medical aid." The Healer then turned to the other man with a questioning look.

The man nodded. "Yes, I gave Knight Wolfe aid on board the ship," he answered, "Rudimentary aid, given I was working with a basic med-kit."

The Healer nodded. "Then let us go to my office," he said, turning to the hallway. The black haired man stood up and walked behind the Healer down the hall. Hermione followed the pair, Ronald her ever present shadow.

They all walked silently, stopping at an open door. The Healer went in, the other man right behind. Hermione paused, looking back at Ronald. The ginger nodded. Hermione stepped through, and Ronald pulled the door closed. A soft thud let her know that her bodyguard was now leaning against the door. She then faced the room. The Healer sat at his desk, and the other man sat in front. There was an empty chair, which Hermione assumed was for her. She made her way over to it.

"So," the Healer started, "Introductions first. My name is Cormac McLaggen. I am the assistant director of the Trauma unit." He glanced at her.

Hermione cleared her throat. "I'm Senator Hermione Granger," she answered, "I am close friends to both Senator Malfoy and Knight Wolfe." She and McLaggen turned to look at the other man in the room.

"Alright, I am Dr Severus Snape," the man answered, "Not a medical doctor. I earned doctorates in politics and biology on Coruscant. I was Consort to …" He swallowed thickly, pain etched into face. "… to Prince Sirius Black of Čarobnjačkom. Now, I am an advisor to Senator Malfoy."

Hermione blinked at that, surprised. She was not expecting the man to have those titles. Two doctorates. Consort to Prince … Oh, Draco had gone to Čarobnjačkom for his cousin's funeral. His cousin, the Crown Prince. And, apparently, this man's lover. Well … She focused back to the present as the Healer began speaking again.

"There was a considerable amount of damage," McLaggen said, "Large blaster burn, cracked skull, four fractured ribs, and a broken wrist."

Hermione gasped, grabbing her necklace in distress. Poor Harlan. That sounded so awful. She knew that, as a Jedi, there was always a chance Harlan would get injured, but she had never faced the reality of that before.

Healer McLaggen glanced from Hermione to the other man. Dr. Snape. "If we could know what happened …?" he asked hopefully.

Snape sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Of course," he said, "I'll start at the beginning. Knight Wolfe was assigned by the Council to be Senator Malfoy's protection. Together, they traveled to Čarobnjačkom for the Crown Prince's funeral and royal coronation. After the ceremonies, there was an assassination attempt in the palace gardens. The three of us snuck out of the palace to the ship. But there was an altercation on the pad. A fire fight broke out, and that was how Knight Wolfe got the blaster burn. Once on the ship, he collapsed from the burn. We assumed the fall caused his other injuries. We found him shortly after."

The Healer nodded at the words. Hermione tried to reign in her emotions. She was mostly successful, except her claws kept flexing. She buried them in the material of her skirt to hide the reaction from the men in the room.

"Well, back to Knight Wolfe's treatment," McLaggen stated. He opened a life on his desk, shifting softly through the papers. "The bones were easy to fix. We put a brace on the write, because joint breaks are still fragile for a couple weeks after being healed."

Dr. Snape nodded at the words, and Hermione had to agree. She understood that precaution. Back when she was fifteen, she broke her ankle. It was fixed right away, but she had to wear an immobilizing boot for two weeks.

"The burn is more difficult, because of the nature of a blaster," the Healer continued, "Wounds inflicted by one ooze, take a long time to heal, and scar horribly. We've wrapped the burn up with a mixed paste: aloe vera, gotu kola, marigold, and urn orchid."

Hermione was not familiar with those herbs, and that irked her. Vaguely, she knew them to have healing properties, but not what those were, specifically. She looked to the other man; with a doctorate in biology, he could know more about the herbs. She watched, gauging his reaction.

The man tapped his finger against his lips in concentration. "Aloe vera, common enough herb for burn treatment," he said, "Gotu kola, or scientifically _Centella asiatica_ , valued for its ability to rejuvenate the skin. Speeds healing and helps prevent scarring." He began to rub at his chin, the faint shadow of scruff across his skin. "Marigold, _Calendula officinalis_ , antiseptic and anti-imflammatory. Stimulates production of outer skin cells. And finally, urn orchid. _Bletilla striata_. Reduces swelling, promotes the formation of tissue, and stops bleeding." Dr. Snape smirked faintly, smug. "I approve of the mixture."

The man kept surprising Hermione. That he could rattle off those herbs' stats off the top of his head like that … Impressive. Extremely impressive. Especially since the man was not a medical professional. Doctorate in biology notwithstanding. Ovinnik, but she was flustered. Brains had always been attractive to her; she wanted someone who could keep up with her intellectually. And, Dr. Snape was not horrible looking, very distinguished. She mentally shook her head, unnerved with her own thoughts. Besides probably being twice her age, the man was grieving. And, her friend was unconscious due to injuries from a fire-fight.

On that note, she turned back to the Healer, waiting for him to continue. Absently, she noticed Dr. Snape lean forward in his chair, also looking towards the Healer.

McLaggen cleared his throat. He seemed uncomfortable and a bit peeved, but Hermione could understand that, considering Dr. Snape had basically treated him like an child seeking approval. He cleared his throat before talking. "Right. At the moment, we have Knight Wolfe in an induced coma. We are hoping to get the burn mostly healed before he wakes up, and with the head injury healed, he could have woken up at any moment. This way, his body will have more time to heal before its attention is divided amongst conscious functions. We plan to change the bandages on the burn every couple of hours, with fresh paste."

Hermione hated that her friend was essentially being forced into slumber, but she understood their reasons. "When can we see him?" She asked. Hearing all the injuries and treatments, she just wants to see Harlan. Be close to him. Possibly, hold his hand.

Healer McLaggen nodded. "Of course," he said, standing up, "If you'll come with me, I will take you there."

Hermione and Dr. Snape stood up quickly. They both were eager to see Harlan. Hermione knew her reasons, but she was curious as to the other man's. It is one thing to abstractly be concerned about an acquaintance, but that is completely different from being concerned for someone with whom you share a deeper connection. She felt the later of the two, and from what she could see, that was the same for Dr. Snape. She would greatly want to know why.

They walked through the halls, heading to the Intense Trauma wing. Healer McLaggen stopped in front of a room and waved the pair forward. Hermione took a steadying breath, steeling herself to what she would see. One of her best friends, gravely injured. She pushed open the door and went inside, Dr. Snape following her.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Remus hurried through the corridors. He had just landed on Felidae. Finally. It had taken ages to get to the planet from Coruscant. It was times like these that he almost wished he owned a ship. It would have been so much faster than the public transport he took. He swore, the thing seemed to stop at every planet between the two planets. But then again, he hated piloting ships. He rarely went anywhere not on Council business anyways; he would just use a ship from the Jedi Temple on assignments.

Remus continued down the hall, reading the numbers next to the doors. He tried not to look into the rooms to preserve patients' privacy. Finally, he reached the proper numbered door: 394. He took a deep breath before gently opening the door.

Remus' breath caught as his eyes landed on the bed. Harry looked so broken. So still. So unnatural. The younger man was always in some form of motion. Even with all the training, he still retained some of his nerve ticks. More than a year of abuse would do that to a person.

Remus stepped into the room, and then froze. There, sitting on the far side of the bed from the door, was the last person he expected to see in that hospital room. Severus Snape. Asena, it had been years. More than thirty years, if he was counting correctly. He had been just about to take the Jedi Trials, and the other man had just finished his doctorates. And then Severus left, recalled to Čarobnjačkom by the royal family.

Time had been kind to the other man, but with both of their species long lifespans, thirty years was nothing. Severus looked good, if rather sad. There were deep bruises under his eyes, and the angles of his face cast sharper shadows than he remembered. Also, the man was absorbed in a book, not noticing the door opening and someone entering.

Remus softly cleared his throat, hoping to gain the other man's attention without startling him. Slowly, Severus slipped a ribbon, long and shiny and black, between the pages and closed the tome. He sighed before looking up.

"Hello, Remus," he said softly, as if afraid he could wake the young man on the bed.

Remus frowned as he sat down next to Harry, across the bed from Severus. "You knew I was coming," he said. It was a statement more than a question.

Severus nodded, shifting in his seat. "Yes, Healer McLaggen said you were Wolfe's next of kin," he answered, "So I knew you would be here soon." A faint smile ghosted over harsh features. "Still don't like piloting?"

Remus chuckled softly. "No, no I still don't," he replied. He sighed, looking down at Harry in the bed. He hated this, hated seeing the young man in the hospital.

Severus cleared his throat, regaining Remus' attention. "Were you filled in?" he asked.

Remus nodded. "Yes, I met with Healer McLaggen before he gave me the room number," he answered. He bit his lip as he took Harry hand into his, careful of the brace. He looked up at the other man, eyes assessing. "Why are you here?" he asked, not really caring that the question might come off a bit harsh. He wanted to know why Severus was there, in the room, with Remus' surrogate son.

Severus rubbed his hand over his face, which caused a faint rasping sound from his barely-there stubble. "That's a long story," he said, "But simplistically, I administered initial aid on route from Čarobnjačkom."

Remus lifted an eyebrow at the other man. That was very much over simplified. He wanted a more in-depth answer, because the man's reason just lead to more questions.

Severus sighed. "Of course that is not satisfactory for you, you curious Knight," the man said fondly, "Give me a second to gather my thoughts, and I'll start at the beginning."

Remus nodded. He leaned forward a bit, resting his arms on the bed. Harry. His Padawan. The boy he watched grow to be a man. The boy he trained to be a fierce but compassionate warrior. It had been years since Harry had been injured enough to go to a hospital.

"If you remember," Severus started, "I was summoned back to Čarobnjačkom. The Crown Prince had just died in a racing crash, and the new Heir Apparent asked me to come back. Once back, I started working for the royal family. Mostly archival work."

Remus pulled a face at that, rubbing circles with his thumb on the back of Harlan's hand. "That does not seem," he paused, rethinking, "You were passionate about biology and politics. Why archival work?"

Severus sighed, looking down. He seemed more uncomfortable, and very sad. "I did not have much standing there, and it kept me in the palace," he finally answered. It looked like the man was trying to gather his thoughts, working on how to words something. "I was … with … Sirius, the Crown Prince." He rubbed his hands across his face again. "As in, we were in a relationship. For twenty-nine years."

Remus did not know what to say. It's awful, because he had heard about Harlan's assignment: escorting the Senator of Čarobnjačkom for the funeral of the Crown Prince. How do you comfort an ex-lover over the death of their current partner? Remus was clueless, so he just settled for the simplest. "I'm so sorry," he murmured.

Severus nodded, visibly pulling himself back together. "Thank you," he said. He coughed softly and rearranged the book on his lap. "Back to my story. Once Prince Draconis was born, I was recommended to be his caretaker and later tutor." He smiled faintly, obviously remembering sweet moments from the Senator's childhood.

"When Prince Draconis became the Senator of Čarobnjačkom," the man continued, "I was appointed as a researcher at the Royal Science Academy. I've been working there ever since."

Remus nodded. That sounded more suited to the other man. What with the doctorate in Biology and all. He then frowned. What else happened? What happened to lead to Harlan being in the hospital?

Severus apparently could still read this expression, because he continued his explanation. "There was …" He trailed off with a choked sound, as if the words were stuck in his throat. "He became so sick. So rapidly. Poison was considered, but nothing I did …" His eyes glistened, tears threatening to fall. "I couldn't figure it out, and he died."

Remus could plainly see the guilt written on the man's face. "Severus," he said softly, wishing he was close enough to touch the other man, "It was not your fault."

The other man shrugged off the words, wiping at his eyes. "Draconis came to the funeral, regardless of the danger to him, with Harlan as his Jedi protector," he said, "And after the funeral and coronation, there was an assassination attempt. We slipped through the siege tunnels, and Harlan held the attackers off as we prepped the ship for takeoff. We all got out of there, but Harlan had apparently been hit."

He shook his head in exasperation, before looking at Remus. "He probably got shot during one of those stupid twirls," he said, laughing humorlessly, "I told you those were a stupid strategy. Remember? You turn your back to your attack just to harness some centrifugal force."

Remus remembered that argument. And, he also remembered the sex afterwards … Pinning Severus to the wall … The red bite marks across pale skin … the combined smell of their release. He mentally shook away those thoughts, returning himself to the present.

Remus looked back down at Harlan, rubbing his thumb against the back of the hand he was holding. "So," he murmured softly, "You met Harlan when he came with Senator Malfoy?"

Severus bit his lip and shook his head. "No, not exactly," he answered, "I mean, I don't know the man, the Jedi Knight Harlan Wolfe. I knew the child, Harry."

Remus looked up abruptly, drawing in a sharp breath. "You knew him as a child?"

The other man nodded. "Yes, he was Draco's," he said, "His companion. Until they were five, I took care of and educated the pair of them." A wistful smile graced Severus' harsh features. "They were thick as thieves. Until Lucius found out." The smile melted to a scowl as anger danced in those lavender eyes. "'It wouldn't do for a prince to be so close to a Nečista Stvorenje' he had said. And then, Harry had been sold away." Severus shook his head, closing his eyes as if pained. "I tried to find him, but nothing came of it. It's impossible to track down someone that the society doesn't consider to be a person, without a name or any kind of identification. Sure, all transactions involving Nečista Stvorenje were documented, but in the files, there is no way to tell one Nečista Stvorenje from another. Even Sirius tried, but even with the resources of the Crown Prince could we find anything."

Remus listened, absorbing and analyzing. "You cared for him?" he asked, though it really was not a question. He could infer the answer.

Severus nodded. "Yes, I did," he said, "How could I not? I raised him. I loved him, like a son I would never have. As much as I love Draconis, he is Lucius' and Narcissa's, the next heir to the throne. But Harry, as we called him, was mine." He smiled softly down at the man in the bed. "Sirius loved him at well." He chuckled wetly, tears back in his eyes. "Siri had this crazy theory. That Harry was the son of his best friend. He swore up and down that Harry was the spitting image of James."

He wiped at his eyes and looked back to Remus. "So, that's how I know, _knew_ , him. What has happened in your life? How did you become a part of his?"

Remus looked away from the man's searching lavender eyes, focusing on the rise and fall of Harlan's chest instead. "There's not really anything exciting to tell," he began, "I took my trials and passed. After that, I just did as assigned. That went on for about twenty years, and then I decided I wanted to take on a Padawan. I felt it was time. So, I stood there with the other knights waiting for the younglings that passed the Gathering to return from Ilum. They all filled in, and there he was, the last to enter. A small shy boy with a headscarf tied around his head. I knew he would be my Padawan; the Force drew me to him. The little boy from Čarobnjačkom, Harlan. Just Harlan, no last name. It took several months before he opened up to me, so shy. Quiet. Scared."

Remus shook his head at the memories. "He told me he made the name Harlan for himself, drawing upon the name his childhood nickname." He looked down at the young man with soft eyes. "When he passed the Jedi Trials, he gave himself the last name 'Wolfe', after me." He chuckled softly, glancing up at Severus. "Harlan thought it was hilarious, because I'm a Lupyne. I was both touched and exasperated with the boy. I rolled my eyes at him and messed up his hair. Then I pulled him into a hug and told him I was proud of him."

Footsteps sounded outside in the hall, getting louder and then quieting again as the person walked passed the room. Remus glanced around, thinking. "I remember the last time Harlan had to spend time in a hospital," he said softly, still rubbing the back of the young man's hand, "Harlan was thirteen. He had been my Padawan for just over a year. At the time, we were at the temple, between assignments. I had been talking with some other Knights, when we got an alert that there was an altercation happening in the Padawan common area. We rushed there, and in the middle of the room, other Padawans looking on, were Harlan and another boy, fighting. Asena, it was a brutal fight. There were no weapons involved, but Harlan was dominating the fight, beating the other to a bloody pulp. It was only after we separated them that I discovered Harlan had a broken arm; he sure did not fight like he was injured."

Severus raised an eyebrow, surprised and impressed. "Did you find out what started the fight?" he asked, "From what I knew of him as a child and what I learned now, starting fights does not seem like part of Harlan's nature."

Remus nodded. "Normally, it's not," he answered, "Not unless he is triggered in the exact right way." He rubbed at his face, feeling a hint of stubble on his own chin. "Remember the civil war in the Toril system? It must have been covered one of the classes you took for your politics doctorate."

Severus frowned, nodding. "Yes, it was," he answered, "And what a bloody war, if I'm recalling correctly. One of the Elven races attacked the other three, right?"

Remus nodded. "The Blood Elves turned on the Night, Forest, and High elves. It was gruesome. Eventually, the other three managed to defeat the Blood Elves."

"And they enslaved the race," Severus finished, a perspective look in his eye, "This relates to Harlan's fight because …?"

Clever man, Remus thought. He was sure Severus guessed the answer, but he was making Remus spill instead. "Yes, apparently the Padawan Harlan fought with had been bullying another Padawan. A Blood Elf. About being of a slave race. In front of Harlan."

Severus grimaced. "Not an intelligent one, was he?" he stated.

Remus shook his head. "No, he wasn't. The boy ended up leaving the temple soon after. Not a big loss, though." He ghosted his fingers down Harlan's hairline, along the marks. "Though, he did not purposely provoke Harlan. Hardly anyone knew he was a Nečista Stvorenje; just me and the council members. With the scarf over the marks and currently no Krv Čista or Prljavštine Osoba in the Order to recognize his accent, Harlan was able to complete hide his past."

Silence reigned as the pair stared down at the young man lying between them. He looked so peaceful, his chest moving faintly with each breath. After a while, Severus opened his book again and continued reading where he left off. Remus tucked an errant piece of raven hair back behind Harlan's ear before settling into his chair, to wait.

* ~ . X . ~ *

Harry groggily blinked his eyes open. The ceiling above him was white and plain, and a faint beeping could be heard. Great, he was in a hospital. He thought back over to what happened. The assignment. Čarobnjačkom. Draconis. The attack. Burning. Jumping into the ship. Then nothing. That was where his memories stopped. What had happened after?

He could feel a bandage on his forehead, as well as a brace on his wrist. He did not remember injuring those. Just the blinding burn of a blaster on his side. Speaking of that, he could feel more bandages wrapped around his torso. Each breath ached a bit, and there was an odd tingling feeling where the burn was.

He turned his head to take in his room, and saw Draco sitting in a chair beside the bed. He was reading, book open in his lap; he had not noticed Harry was awake. Harry attempted to push himself upright, the rasp of the sheets moving drew the blond's attention. Silver eyes snapped to his, and Harry froze.

Slowly, Draco lifted a piece of ribbon off his leg and marked his place. He closed the book, leaving it lay on his lap. He clasped his hands on top of it, staring at the pale digits for several moments. With a sigh, he looked back up at Harry.

"We need to talk," he said softly.

Harry swallowed thickly. "Yes, we do."

* * *

Hey guys!

I'm sorry for the long wait. Like I said at the beginning, I forgot I did not publish this. I finished it ... hm ... about 2 (?) months ago. And then, I broke my wrist. My dominant wrist. Which made lots of things difficult, including typing. But, I got my cast off and have some physical therapy exercises to help me gain full movement back into my wrist. So, now I can get back to working on my stories.


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